Motor moisture



Jan. 24, 1956 A. c. ROBLEY MOTOR MOISTURE FILTER AND FUME CONTROL Filed Jan. 27, 1953 INVENTOR ARTHUR C.ROBLEY AT TORNEYS United States Patent 2,731,958 MOTOR MOISTURE FILTER AND FUME CONTROL Arthur C. Robley, Milwaukee, Wis., assignor of forty-nine percent to Elmer J. Oleniczak and fifty-one per cent to v I Frank J. Kaczorek, both of Milwaukee, Wis.

This invention appertains to an apparatus for ventilating crank cases of internal combustion engines and more particularly to a novel device which acts as a motor moisture filter and fume control.

In the operation of internal combustion engines gasses and vapors find their way past the piston ring and into the crank case. The heated products which blow by the piston rings contain among other things, water vapor, and unburned fuel in vapor form which condenses and such condensation collects in the oil pan and on the valves within the valve cover.

One of the primary objects of my present invention is to withdraw this moisture, air and fumes from within the cover, top of the oil pan and the crank case and remove the water and other condensates therefrom and then to deliver such air to the air cleaner of the engine.

Another object of my invention is to provide a novel condenser which may be attached at any desired place to the engine block and which, in turn communicates with the interior of the crank case and air cleaner.

Still another object of my invention is to provide my condenser with a drain outlet of the type which will allow the condensed fluid to be continually removed from the condenser.

A further object of my invention is to provide an apparatus of the type described, which is automatic in its operation and requires practically no maintenance and no personal attention.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a simple, practical and reliable construction that is economical to manufacture, easy to assemble and positive in its operation.

With these and other objects in view, which will more readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated and claimed.

A preferred and practical embodiment of my invention is shown in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view showing my apparatus in its operative position on an internal combustion engine;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view through my novel condenser; and

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view through the condenser taken on the line 3-3 of F'gure 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring to the drawings in detail, wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the letter A generally indicates one type of my improved crank case ventilating apparatus and the same is shown in its operative position on an internal combustion engine I.

The internal combustion engine I may be of any conventional type, but for the purposes of illustration I have shown the engine as being of the over-head valve type and the same includes broadly the valve cover C, the engine block B and oil pan P. The engine is also provided with the usual cooling system and fan F. Mounted on the engine I is an air cleaner 10 and the' same is also of a conventional construction being provided with the usual filters and screened air intake 11. The air cleaner 10, of course, communicates with the carburetor (not shown) of the engine.

My crank case ventilating device A, when attached to an engine as shown in Figure 1 of the drawings, will give a. very fine control of the fumes and moisture in the engine and the same includes broadly, the condenser 12 which may be secured at any desired position to the block B by means of a bracket 13 and bolts 14. The cover 15 of the condenser 12 has communication with the air cleaner 10 through the medium of a suction pipe 16. Also communicating with the upper end of the condenser 12 is a hose 17 which communicates with the interior of the valve cover C through the connection 18 and with the crank case and oil pan P, through the branch hose 17'. The bottom of the condenser is provided with a drain outlet or tube 19. As illustrated by the arrows in Figure 1 of the drawing, it should be readily apparent that when the engine is in operation the air cleaner 10 creates a suction in the condenser 11 and this in turn creates a suction within the cover C and the crank case of the engine through the hoses 17 and 17'. Thus, the moisture laden air takes a course illustrated by the arrows in Figure l. The moisture, of course, is condensed in the condenser 12 and drains out through the drain tube 19 and the relatively dry air enters the air cleaner 10 through the suction pipe 16.

The novel construction and arrangement of the condenser 12 forms a very important part of my invention and by referring more particularly to Figures 2 and 3 of the drawings, it can be seen that the same includes broadly an outer receptacle or body portion 20 and an inner container 21. The inner container 21 is preferably secured to and integral with the cover 15 and when the cover is in its proper position on the body 20 the inner container is suspended therefrom and extends into the outer receptacle or body 20. The inner container 21 is sealed from the outer receptacle 20, excepting that communication is had therebetween through an opening 22 provided in the bottom 23 of the inner container. The cover 15, on the other hand, is provided with two raised nipples 24, 25 which open out on the top of the cover. The central nipple 24 provides an opening which communicates with the interior 25 of the inner container 21 and the nipple 25 provides a side opening which communicates only with the interior 26 of the outer receptacle or body 20. As is readily apparent, the suction pipe 16 is connected to the raised nipple 24 and the hose 17 is connected to the raised nipple 25. The bottom 27 of the outside container 20 is provided with an opened depending nipple 28 to which is secured the tube 19. Arranged within the inner container 21 is a series of bafiies 29 and it is to be particularly noted that the baffles 29 are arranged in an over-lapping relationship and slant downwardly so that any moisture condensing thereon will gravitate toward the bottom 23 of the container 21 and thence out the opening 22 to settle on the bottom 27 of the outer container 20. As the moisture accumulates on the bottom 27 of the outer container 20, the same will be led into the drain tube 19 and out into the atmosphere.

From the foregoing, it can be seen that I have provided a novel crank case ventilating apparatus which will serve effectively as a moisture and fume control for the engine and which, by removing the condensation and water from the crank case and the interior of the valve cover will prevent sludge from forming in the crank case, stop smoke and fumes from entering the inside of the automotive vehicle, prevent water from entering the engine, thus eliminating valve sticking, all of which will result in an over-all improvement in the running condition of the engine.

Changes in detail may be made without departing from the spirit or the scope of this invention, but what I claim as new is:

A crankcase ventilated apparatus, including in combination, a condenser secured to the internal combustion engine, said condenser having an outer body portion opened at one end, a cover for said opened end, an inner container carried by said cover, said inner condenser extending into the outer condenser when said cover is in its proper position and having communication with said outer container through an opening in the lower portion of said inner container, a series of baffies in said inner container for directing fluid downward, a conduit providing communication between the crank case of the internal combustion engine and said outer container, a

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,323,048 Goodwin Nov. 25, 1919 1,427,337 Tracy Aug. 29, 1922 2,083,983 Brenner June 15, 1937 2,113,447 Hardinge Apr. 5, 1938 2,274,894 Gray Mar. 3, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS 128,444 Great Britain June 26, 1919 

